Harness



(Model.)

Gv. G. HALEd Harness'.

No. 229,120. Patented June 22, 11880.

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N.PETE'RS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHING UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

`GEORGE HALE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,120, dated June 22, 1880.

Application fired Apm'l 27, leso. (Model.)

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. HALE, of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swinging Harness; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention appertains to certain improvements in harness specially adapted for use in tire departments, the objects of which .are to provide for the suspension of the hames and collar, together with the other parts of a set of harness, over the pole or tongue of a reel or engine, to hold the hames and collar in an open position when suspended, to instantaneously lock the haines and collar around the neck of a horse, and to provide for the lengthening or shortening of the haines.

To these ends my invention consists of a pair of hames hinged at the top and provided with a locking or fastenin device; secondly, of the peculiar construction of the hinge; and, thirdly, of the particular means for locking or fastening the harnes.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l represents my improved haines fastened to a eollar.` Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same when locked, and showing the locking device in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved haine-hinge.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the collar, which is divided or cut at the bottom, and B marks the hames, fitted and firmly secured to said collar.

Fastened to the lower end of one of the hannes is the hame iron or rod b, having a longitudinal groove out in its lower surface, in which is secured a spring-catch, b. This rod enters a thimble, b2, fastened to the other hame, having a slot in its under surface, which engages the catch when the hames and collar are closed. This locking device is readily unlocked by pressing the spring inwardly with the finger or thumb and simultaneously pulling the thimble and rod in opposite directions.

C marks the link to which the breast strap or chain is secured.

D refers to the hinge which holds the upper ends of the haines together. This hinge is made up of a series of plates, d, having ears projecting' from each side thereof, with correspondin g spaces, as clearl shown in the drawings, in which the ears of one plate enter the spaces in the adjoining plate and are secured with pins. One or more of these plates d can be added to or removed from the hinge to make the haines longer or shorter, as is required to fit different collars. This hinge renders unnecessary the use of straps or collarpads TWhen the collar and hames are opened at nearly right angles the hinge rises up from the collar, as shown in Fig. 1, which permits the ends ofthe haines to come nearer together, and the collar is relieved from strain.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. The combination, with a harness-collar open at the lower end and a pair of haines fastened thereto,- of the hinge D, secured to the upper ends of said hames and made up of plates d, having ears projecting from each side, with corresponding spaces, and secured togetherby pins, as shown and described.

2. The herein-described improvements in harness, consisting of the collar A, open at the bottom, hames B, fastened to said collar and Aprovided with the jointed hinge D al, slotted thimble b2, and rod b, having a spring-catch, b', substantially as and for the purpose set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing' I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of April, 1880. 4

GEORGE C. HALE. [L s] Witnesses:

ROBERT W. QUAELEs, ENoeE PEPPER. 

